Sourdough Ladi Pav (Sourdough Dinner Rolls)

Soft, fluffy, rich, buttery, these Sourdough Ladi Pav (Sourdough Dinner Rolls) are just irresistible. Since I have been bitten by the sourdough bug currently, I have started exploring Sourdough recipes. These are perfect accompaniment to all your meals, a perfect companion to batata wadas,samosa, bhajji, misal, usal, anda bhurji and many more!!! The best part these Sourdough dinner Rolls are eggless.

Growing up in Mumbai, ladi pavs are integral part of the Maharashtrian Cuisine. I remember waking up to a Pavwala on his bicycle, announcing his arrival by ringing his cycle bell. He would bring fresh hot breads right from the bakery. Having chai pav was my favorite breakfast. Ever since, I moved to Canada, I kept missing these beauties. The dinner rolls I found here were little too sweet for my liking and were a bit dense. I just couldn’t enjoy my spicy curries with it. So I knew there had to be a solution. And so here it is, Sourdough Ladi pav aka Eggless Sourdough Dinner Rolls. This recipe is shared by a friend and I have tweaked it to suit my need.

A note on my Sourdough Starter:

I use a 100% hydration Starter. A 100% hydration starter has equal quantities of water and flour. I use a mixture of flour – whole wheat flour and all purpose flour. Both in equal quantities. This is also what I use to feed my starter. Also my starter was very active. I wouldn’t recommend using a 1-4 days starter.

The Process: Autolysis

Autolysis is a process in bread making which involves mixing flour and water together for a period of time, before adding other ingredients. I have autolyzed for an hour. This hydrates the flour, which encourages enzymes to begin gluten development.

Since salt is not added in the flour in the beginning and is added later, after the first resting time, don’t forget to add the salt; as salt is what flavors the bread.

Stretching and Folding

I gave the dough 3 sets of stretch and folds at a 30 minutes interval. Wet hands, grab a portion of the dough, and slowly stretch it by lifting it upwards. Taking care not to break it, and fold it towards the centre over the dough. Keep turning the bowl and repeat the process until all parts of the dough is covered. Carefully flip the dough and round it up. This completes one set of stretch and fold. Repeat this process for more 2 times at an interval of 30 minutes. I have added a gif to help you understand this process.

POINTS TO REMEMBER WHILE MAKING THE DOUGH:

1. I like to knead the dough on my kitchen counter top since it gives me more control on kneading the dough.
2. At first, the dough may seem unmanageable and sticky. But continue to knead, folding and turning the dough, until it is smooth and supple. Have patience, after 10 minutes of kneading time, you will have the control on the sticky mass and it will start to take a structure.
3. How to know if you have kneaded the dough enough? Do the “windowpane” test. Take a small bit of dough (about the size of a golf ball) and hold it between your thumb and first two fingers of each hand so the dough is in front of you. And gently spread the dough apart. If you have properly kneaded, the dough should stretch, without tearing or breaking, into a thin membrane that you can see through.
4. I add butter (softened at room temperature) to the dough, and always at the end of the kneading. After you add butter, knead it for a couple of more minutes and it should result in a smooth, soft elastic and a supple dough. 
5. Since its a sourdough bread the rising time of the dough is more when compared to the yeasted bread.
6. Remove the pav from the tray immediately after baking, and place on a wired rack or tray, so that they don’t become softened and moist from the bottom due to heat condensation.
7. Brushing the pavs buns with some milk gives it a golden color.

SHAPING THE LADI PAV

• A good ladi pav has a beautiful smooth surface on top without any bumps, cuts, rough or uneven surface.
• Weigh your dough and divide it into 12 equal balls. Keep the dough covered at all times to avoid it from drying out. Roll and shape to smooth top for each of the portion. Making a tight roll creates enough tension in the dough so it would hold that curved shape while baking too. Make round shape balls by tucking the sides to the base/bottom and rounding it out using your fingers and thumb. Video at the end of recipe card.

Sourdough Ladi Pav (Sourdough Dinner Rolls)

Recipe by Samrudhi MaheshCourse: Main, Breakfast, snacksCuisine: Indian, Other world cuisineDifficulty: Medium

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

2

hours 

30

minutes

Resting time

4

hours 

Baking Time

35

minutes

Sourdough Ladi Pav aka Sourdough Dinner Roll

Ingredients

• 150 grams of Active Sourdough Starter

• 300 grams Warm Water

• 450 Grams All Purpose Flour

• 10 Grams Salt

• 20 grams Sugar

• 75 Grams Butter – Softened to room temperature

• Milk- to brush the shaped Pav

• Butter- to brush the baked Pav

Directions

• In a bowl, add water and flour mix gently and set aside for an hour. This step is called as Autolyze.
• Add the starter, sugar and start kneading the dough for 10 minutes.
• After salt and butter and knead it for another 10 minutes or until the dough is soft, smooth and stretchy.
• Rest the Dough by keeping it covered for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes do your 1st stretch and fold. Cover and let it rest again for another 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, do your 2 nd stretch and fold. Cover and let it rest for another 30 minutes. After 30 minutes do your 3rd stretch and fold. (See notes above on Stretching and Folding)
• Weigh your dough and divide it into 12 equal balls. Keep the dough covered at all times to avoid it from drying out. Roll and shape to smooth top for each of the portion. Making a tight roll creates enough tension in the dough so it would hold that curved shape while baking too. Make round shape balls by tucking the sides to the base and rounding it out using your fingers and thumb. Check the video given below.
  
• Place the ladi pav’s in the baking tin and let them rise, till they are double in size. 1 inch space between all of them.(Approximately 4-5 hours. Check Notes)
• Once they are ready, lightly brush the Pav’s with milk and bake them in a preheated oven at 375°F. Bake for 30- 35 minutes until the top is golden. The time depends on the oven as each oven can act differently.
• Take the tray out from the oven and de-mould the Ladi pav immediately. Remove the pav buns from the tray and place on a wired rack or tray, so that they don’t become softened and moist from the bottom due to heat condensation. Place the Ladi pav on a cooling rack and brush them with butter.

Recipe Video

Notes

• I have used all purpose flour, but you can use bread flour or whole wheat flour.
• You can use water instead of Milk. Make sure your liquid is lukewarm and not hot.  
• Brush the pav with butter while it is still warm.
• Since, these are sourdough dinner rolls they take a longer time to rise as compared to the yeasted breads.
• If you live in a colder region, and your home isn’t warm enough the dinner rolls may take more time to rise. You can leave them in your oven with the lights on.
• Remove the pav from the tray and place on a wired rack or tray, so that they don’t become softened and moist from the bottom due to heat condensation.

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